General Motors Co. is recalling more than 218,000 older Chevrolet small cars in the US and its territories due to a potential fire hazard, bringing US recalls this year to 29 and a record number of vehicles.
A day after recalling 2.6 million vehicles globally, GM is recalling 218,000 Chevrolet Aveo cars and 214 Chevy Optra cars in the US from model years 2004 to 2008. Both cars were built in South Korea.
The problem with the cars stems from a faulty part in their daytime running lights that could overheat and cause a fire, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
A Bloomberg report Wednesday said GM is overhauling its legal department as it tries to break down silos that delayed the recall earlier this year of millions of cars for an ignition switch defect linked to 13 deaths, citing unnamed sources.
Congress and the Justice Department are investigating GM’s handling of that recall.
Separately, a congressional aide told the Associated Press Wednesday that GM CEO Mary Barra is telling lawmakers that GM could simultaneously release an internal investigation into a deadly ignition switch problem and its plan to compensate victims.